


rapunzel, rapunzel

by JuniperGrace



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff, Hair Brushing, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26382142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuniperGrace/pseuds/JuniperGrace
Summary: “rapunzel, rapunzel, lay down your quill!” || at the end of the day, kima likens her wife to a fairy-tale damsel
Relationships: Kima/Allura Vysoren
Comments: 7
Kudos: 27





	rapunzel, rapunzel

**Author's Note:**

> pretend with me for a moment that the story of rapunzel exists in DnD....

Allura, Kima thinks, never lets her hair down. Be it literal or figurative, the halfling can count on one hand the number of times the greater public has witnessed the arcanist in any sort of disarray. The woman is frustratingly pristine and impossibly quick with prestidigitation when the former isn’t true, something Kima has voiced a handful of times only to be met with a vague smile and a gentle kiss to the forehead. It drives her absolutely mad.

–––––––––––––

_ “Seriously, Allie, I don’t know how you do it!”  _

_ “Do what, my love?”  _

_ “Look so perfect all the time! It’s like the second you step one foot out of bed, you’re perfectly put-together  _ **_all_ ** _ the time! Not a hair out of place.” _

_ “Surely not  _ **_all_ ** _ the time…”  _

_ “Can’t think of an example where it isn’t true.”  _

–––––––––––––

What the greater public doesn’t get to see, however, is even more beautiful and perfect than they could possibly imagine. With her hair loose, Allura looks at least five years younger ( if only letting her hair down would erase the shadows under her eyes that tend to give away the hours spent at work ) and  _ oh _ is she a sight to behold –– golden hair, curling and twisting ( and very rarely, tangling ) well beyond her waist. In the privacy of Allura’s pristine tower, high above any potentially prying eyes, Kima loves nothing more than to run her fingers through the shining locks. Most evenings, after all work is finished and dinner has been had, her wife will sit still long enough to allow Kima to brush it for her. It’s Kima’s most favorite part of the day.

Some nights, Allura’s work demands her attention later than usual. It’s easy for the arcanist to get swept up in the ever-growing list of to-do’s and duties. She’s dedicated to those she’s decided to help and while that’s certainly admirable, there comes a point where that dedication comes at the cost of Allura’s rest. Those nights, Kima brings tea and a light dinner into the study –– sometimes she’ll even force herself to pick up a book (and so what if she’s been trying to read the same book on and off for several years). More often, however, she’ll simply sit across the room from her focused wife and pout – heaving sighs and shooting wistful glances until the attention she seeks is granted, much to Allura’s chagrin.

It’s on such an evening that Kima finds herself in her usual chair in the study of Allura’s tower with a growing pout so prominent, one might say they could  _ hear _ it. Her book has opened and closed itself no fewer than three times, the words on the page nowhere near enticing enough to keep the paladin’s focus. She sighs, slamming the book shut for a fourth time. Instead of finding another distraction, Kima launches herself from her spot and makes her way over to Allura’s desk. 

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, lay down your quill!” 

Allura doesn’t respond right away; if she heard Kima at all, she gives no sign. After a moment, her quill comes to a stop and her gaze moves away from her papers to her wife, “I’m sorry, love, what did you say?”

She lifts herself onto her toes to kiss her impossible wife’s cheek, “Just that you work too hard. C’mon, Allie, it’s getting late.”

“I’m nearly done, Kima…”

“You said that an hour ago.” 

The quill in her hand slows as Allura stops and thinks, “Was it really that long ago?”

“Mhm… What do y’ say, Allie? Let’s call it a night and head downstairs?” She does her best to make the idea enticing, pressing one more kiss to Allura’s cheek and stepping away. “You’re no good to anybody if you’re not sleeping. Whatever’s left can wait until tomorrow.” 

She knows Allura will argue that it can’t wait –– that she just needs a little bit longer and she’ll come to bed. And Kima knows her too well to even let her try. Without another word, she plucks the quill from her beloved’s hand – taking care not to let any ink splatter – and puts it away. Allura must be tired because she puts up nearly no fight as Kima tugs her hand to pull her away from the desk and lead her down the flight of stairs from the study. She does wave her hand as they go, papers shuffling themselves into order and candles snuffing out on their own as the door shuts behind the couple. 

It’s dark downstairs – the sun long past the horizon outside the tower – not a problem for Kima, but Allura waves her hand once more to set the lights in the room ablaze. They spring to life, filling the room with a cozy glow and the pair sets to their own nighttime rituals. Kima’s done ages before Allura, and sits on their bed to watch Allura brush through her hair. She can see her wife’s eyebrows knit together in the mirror and knows she’s only moments away from muttering to herself. “Hey,” Kima says softly, “c’mere. Let me help you.” 

A look of relief washes over Allura. It takes her no time at all to cross the bedroom floor and hand the hairbrush to Kima before she settles on the bed in front of her. Kima smiles as she begins to gently work the brush through Allura’s hair with long, practised strokes. “Do you want to tell me about what’s got you so worked up?”

“I’d hate to bother you with the boring nobles…”

“Nah, don’t worry about me. What’s going on in that brilliant mind?”

Allura laughs at that, but starts recounting her day. As she does, she can hear how ridiculous some of it is, even makes note of a couple different solutions to problems to be put into action in the morning. Kima is right, of course she is, and as she tells her wife about her day, she can feel the stress and tension melt away. (She can also feel the warmth of Kima’s magic washing away the headache that had taken root.) She comes to the end of her day and lets her words trail off as Kima continues to work through her hair. A comfortable silence falls between them –– Allura’s story is long-finished and Kima’s more or less done working the tangles out of Allura’s hair. Just when Kima’s about to break the silence, Allura beats her to it, turning so that blue eyes meet hazel.

“You called me Rapunzel earlier.” 

“Yeah?” 

“But why?”

The confusion is crystal clear, which only makes Kima grin. “ A beautiful damsel with long golden hair locked away in a tower? It all checks out, Allie."

“I’m hardly some damsel locked away in a tower...”

“A princess, then.” 

“Except I’m not a princess either.” 

“You’re about as pretty as one.”    


Allura grins back, mischief sparkling in her eyes, “Only  _ about _ as pretty?” 

“You know what I meant,” she grumbles, elbowing her wife before moving to pepper kisses everywhere she can reach, “And you know I think you’re prettier than any princess in a tower.” 

“If you say so, love,” Allura says, letting her mind wander as Kima’s kisses do the same, a small sigh escaping her lips. Before Kima reaches the spot just behind her ear, Allura pulls away, “What did you mean ‘ _ locked away in a tower _ ’?”

“You  _ know _ what I meant, Allie. Now come back here, I wasn’t finished – ” 

“I’m not locked up in this tower, I can –– and do, mind you –– leave at any time I wish.” 

“Alright, alright, you aren’t trapped. But you’re still a stunningly beautiful maiden with long, golden hair who lives in the tallest tower in town and  _ I _ am the wonderful knight that will always come to your aid.” 

Allura laughs and presses her lips to Kima’s, “Yes you are.  _ Thank you _ , my love. For being my knight in shining armor –– and for conquering the task of brushing my hair.” As the words leave her lips, a hand flies up to stifle a yawn, “Are you ready for bed?”

Kima nods, shifting around to move under the covers. Allura follows suit, directing the lights in the room to dim to nothing before wrapping her arms around her wife. The barest sliver of moonlight slips into the newfound darkness of the room through a small gap in the curtains as eyes drift closed. Silence wraps around the room, not even the wind would dare disturb them. 

Just as sleep is about to wash over her completely, Kima hears Allura whisper her name. “Hmmm? What is it?” The question is sloppy and half-formed, but even through her drowsy haze, she hears Allura giggle. 

“No matter how shiny your armor may be, there’s no way you’re ever climbing my hair.” 

_ Funny, _ she thinks as a short laugh escapes her, “Go to sleep, Allie.” 

She feels a kiss, soft and tender, land on her cheek and hears Allura say, “I love you, Kima.” 

_ Love you too, Allie. _ But before she can will the words to leave her, she’s asleep, mind buzzing full of wonderful images of maidens in towers and golden hair so long, it trails along the ground. There will be time for words of affection in the morning and every day for the rest of time.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! and a big thank you to Liv (HellHathNoFury here on AO3 and writersblockisabitch on tumblr) for bouncing ideas back and forth with me while i was writing! writing is always fun with a buddy!


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